Breech closure and firing mechanism



' Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 1,996,393 nEacncLosnE AND FnnNG MEcnANrsM VJoseph C..White, Wakefield', Mass., assignor to White 4Automatic Gun Corporation, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine `.Original application November 23, 1931, Serial,

o 4 Claims.

5 anism for the purpose set forth.

This application is a division of my'co-pending application Serial No. 576,666, iiled November 23, 1931, now Patent No. 1,907,163, dated May 2, 1933.

In the drawing, illustrating, by way of example,- one embodiment of the invention,

Y Fig. 41 is a vertical longitudinal section through the receiver and breech mechanism, the breech" being closed and the ring pinococked;

the parts in fired position and the breech open;`

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially in the plane of the axis of the bore, with the parts in the position as in Fig.1; and o i Fig. 4 illustrates the firing pin actuating assembly, partly in side elevation andpartly invertical section, and upona larger scale. o

This vdivisional application being concerned .primarily `with the breech closure and ring mechanism, I have here illustrated KVonly suillcient `of the other parts of the'gun Vtoaiord adequate understanding .of the` invention. Similar rei-` erence characters are usedas in my above mentioned copending application, and parts not shown or referred to may be the same as in 'said co-` l pending application.` l l The rear portion of the barrel is indicated a I, it being secured in the receiver or frame 2 as the receiver 2 are seen in fulllength in Fig. 3. Other portions of the receiver appearing in Figs. 1 and 2 include the upper 'intermediate cross or bridge portion 68 and a rear cross portion 2B,

40 seen at the lower left part of Figs. 1 land 2, and in plan in Fig. 3. A portion of the rear stock the gas, serves to unlock'and open the breech Divided and this April 29, 1933, Serial No.` 668,587

by means of the threaded connection as indicated at Stand a set screw I0. The mainside walls of" Longitudinal movement of the-- action slide 4|, rearward, under the inuence of mechanism, and to retract lthe ring pin rela-y tively to the breech block orV bolt, while return applicationV forward movement of the actuator, under inuence of "its return spring serves to close and lock the breech. i

fThe breech closure includes a breech block or bolt indicated as a wholebythe numeral 60. It 5 slide 4| in such manner that at certain times it 1|) travels with the slide while at other times the vslide is permitted to move relatively to the block. AThe block is provided with a plurality of locking o lugs. two of which are seen at 1li, 10 in Fig. 3.

15 Fig. 2 is a similar view as in Fig. 1 but with .l

For locking the blockin breech closing posi- 15 tion, or releasingthe same, I have provided a transversely, and herein vertically, movable lock 1|, .of generalU-fqrm as viewed in plan. -The lock 1| is positioned in the forward portion of .the receiver 2 wherein it is transversely or vertl- 20 `cally movable but is retained against movement lengthwise the receiver. The lock 1| T is provided with lateral locking ribs 12, 12, Fig. 3, slidablyreceived in corresponding locking grooves 13, 13 in the side Walls of the receiver 2. l At the 25 upper fore portion of the lock, at the base of the U, -is a forwardly projecting shoulder 14 adapted to seat in a correspondingly shaped ledge at the vfore part of the receiver. As best seen in Fig. 2

the lock 1| is provided internally with locking 30 members 11,. 11 which come into longitudinal alignment, in the closed and locked position of `the breech, behind the corresponding lugs 10 on theblock.- Suitable cam connections, including the -cam formations 84 in the action slide 4|, are 35 provided intermediate the lock and the slide for :.effectingthe transverse vertical locking and unlockingmovements of the lock 1|. l

y To eilectA the desired locking and unlocking movements of the lock, it will be understood that 40 a relative movement takes place between the action slide 4| and the block proper at the beginning of the rearward or recoil action and again at the close of the return forward or counter recoil action.v Accordingly I have provided a releasable operativejconnection between the slide 4| and the block 60. Such connection herein inportion ther positioned by a downwardly projecting pin 92 adapted to extend through an aperture 93, into the bore of the block and into a longitudinal slot |24 in the top wall of the ring pin 6 I. This pin and slot arrangement aids inv guiding and centering the ring pin and preventing turning thereof, and also serves as a safety feature to prevent premature ring of a cartridge if for any reason the breech block should not be completely closed and locked. Under the latter conditions the latch 90 would b'e down, as in Fig. 2, its pin 92 then preventing full advance of the firing pin, by engagement with the rear end of the slot |24 in the latter.l

The depending arms of the latch 90 have at their loweriportions lateral projections 94 cooperable with notches 91 in the action slide 4| for operatively engaging andvdisengaging the block and slide. When the latch 90 is in down position, as in Fig. 2, the action slide and block are operatively connected for movement together when the latch 90 is elevated as in Fig. 1, being then lifted out of the notches 91 of the slide, the block is disconnected from the slide, permitting the latter to move relatively to the block.

The breech block or bolt 60 is equipped with an extractor |05 and an extractor spring |01 illustrated as a leaf spring lying along the upperface of the fore part of the block, but which may be otherwise formed.

The firing pin 6| previously referred to, and receivable in the bore III of the block, is itself an elongated hollow member having a nose ||2 for'detonating the cartridge primer. At its rear portion the firing pin is provided with a laterally extending head portion II3, externally yof thel block end of a configuration conforming generally to a cross-section of the latter, said head ||3 preferably including lateral extensions I |33, I I3, Figs. 2 and 3, by which it is guided in the ways 65 of the receiver, which ways also slidably receive correspondingribs on the breech block. j Said head portion ||3 of the ring pin also includes depending parts II3b, one at each side, in alignment with the two forks of the action slide 4 I, on which are provided lugs 62, Figs. l and 2.

The rear faces of said lugs are adapted to engage said depending portions I|3b of the ring pin head II3, thereby to retract the firing pin within and relatively to the block, in connection with the block unlocking and opening movement of the actuator or slide 4|, into sheathed position as illustrated in Fig. 2. An intermediate lower portion of the ring pin head |I3 is adapted to be engaged behind the U-shaped springnose |40 of the sear |38, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to hold the firing pin cocked. The sear is pivotally supported on the front portion of the'trigger frame |35 as at |39.

The firing pin is provided with an actuating assembly, seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and in detail in Fig. 4. Said ring pin actuating means or spring assembly herein comprises a two-part coil spring, including the forward spring I I4 adapted to bear between the front wall of the firing pin 6| and a collar I I5 on a floating sleeve II6. The rear section |23 of the spring also surrounds said sleeve, rearwardly of said collar I I5, and said sleeve II6 is removably received on and retained by an elongated stationary stud I I1, in the manner best seen in Fig. 4. The front end of said stud I I1 is threaded as at I I8 for passage through a corresponding threaded aperture I I6a in the rear wall of the sleeve I I6. Said'threaded means retains the sleeve and stud against longitudinal bodily separation, when the parts are disassembled, without intentional unscrewing of the sleeve from the stud.

The stud II1 is mounted on and projects forwardly from an arm' I I9 of a supporting element or plate |20 adapted on the receiver, against the pressure of said twopart ring pin spring II4, |23. Said supporting element or plate |20 is constructed and arranged for easy demounting, together with the i'lring pin and its actuating parts. It seats on the rear cross portion 2f* of the receiver 2, being provided at its front portion with a pair of depending hooks I2I. These hooks are engageable over the front edge of said receiver portion 2B, thus releasably anchoring the plate |20 in position thereon. The plate |20 is further positioned and guided for forward, releasing movement, as by a pin |22 projecting up from the receiver cross portion 2a and received in a longitudinal recess or guideway |22a in the under face of the plate |20.

After removal of the receiver cap |25, to be described, the entire firing pin assembly is readily dismountable. The rearwardly extending portion of said plate is constituted as a thumb piece I20a. On pushing the plate |20 forwardly and tilting it, through the medium of its thumb piece |2021, the hooked portions I2I are disengaged from the receiver portion 2a, whereupon the entire firing pin assembly may be withdrawn from the gun.

In said demounted condition of the ring pin and its operating parts, the two springs II4 and |23 normally remain upon the sleeve II6. The rear portion |23 of the two-part ring pin spring, surrounding the stud |I1 and the rear portion of the sleeve II6, bears between the collar II5 of the latter and the arm II9 of the plate |20. The sleeve and stud remain assembled, being prevented from bodily separation, longitudinally, by interengagement of the threaded portions IIB, H65, but they may readily be completely disengaged, when desired, by turning the threaded portion I I8 of the stud out through the threaded aperture II6a of the sleeve I I6. The dismounted but still connected position of the ring pin assembly is substantially that as shown in Fig. 4, except that, for economy of spacein said figure, the stud I|1 and its supporting plate |20 are illustrated in the unexpanded position of the rear spring portion |23.

The rear of the receiver is closed by a removable receiver cap |25, previously mentioned. This receiver cap comprises a plate-like member having a down-turned rear wall |26 which affords a rear sight base |265. rThe receiver cap also includes side walls, one of which is seen at |21 in Fig. l. The front end of the receiver cap is received beneath the rear edge of the bridge portion 60 of the receiver, Figs. l and 2. At the base of the back wall |26 of the receiver cap is a rearwardly fastened shoulder or ledge |30 adapted to seat beneath upstanding hook members I3I rising from the frame |35 of the trigger mechanism. Along the top face of 'the receiver cap |25 is a T-shaped spring-metal retaining member |32 removably held in position beneath opposed overhanging ribs |33 on the receiver side walls. In the closed position of thereceiver cap, the front end of retaining member |32 abutsthe bridge portion 68 of the receiver, and a foot |32 at the rear end of said retaining member is received in an appropriate recess |25 on the receiver cap.

to be held in fixed position In assembling, the front edge of the receiver cap is inserted beneath the receiver bridge 68. The cap is swung down in a pivotal manner, while presenting it forwardly against the spring seat or plate |20 and the firing pin springs, thus moving said seat orplate 20 slightly forwardly.

4The shoulder |30 on the rear wall |26 of the cap is brought below the stationary-hooks |3| of the trigger frame. Release of the forward pressure on the cap permits the plate |20 to return rearwardly, completing engagement of said shoulder |30 of the cap and said hooks 3|. At the same time 'the T-shaped spring member |32 at the top of the cap rides down off the receiver bridge 68, into abutting position behind the latter, thus preventing forward movement of the cap and securely anchoring it in closed position. Removal of the receiver cap is readily effected by a reverse procedure, the front of the retaining member |32 being rst'lifted from behind the receiver bridge 68, and the receiver cap being pushed forwardly, by pressure on its rear wall |26, against the pressure of the firing pin springs |23, I4, to disengage the shoulder |30 and hooks I3I. Thus it is seen thatthe ring pin springs and their rear seat or plate |20, through which rearward pressure is applied to the rear wall of the receiver cap, have the additional function of assisting to retain the latter in closed position. On opening or removal of the receiver cap the firing pin assembly is readily removable, by disengaging the Vplate |20 'from the receiver portion 2a. 'I'he entire breech closure unit, including the block 60, is then also bodily removable from the receiver. leaving the receiver and barrel exposed at the rear in direct prolongation of the axis of the bore.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described, its scope being pointed out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a gun of the class described, a reciprocable breech block, a firing pin longitudinally movable in the block and having a longitudinal bore, and a firing pin actuating assembly comprising an elongated stud having its rear end mountable in the receiver, a sleeve longitudinally movably surrounding the stud, interengageable means on the stud and sleeve preventing their unintentional bodily disengagement while permitting their relative longitudinal movement, an external collar on the sleeve, and a two-part coil spring received about the sleeve, at opposite sides .of the collar, said stud, sleeve and spring being receivable in the bore of the ring pin.

2. In a gun of the class described, a reciprocable breech block, a ring pin longitudinally movable in the breech block and having a longitudinal bore, and a firing pin actuating assembly comprising an elongated stud, an elongated sleeve movably surrounding the stud, a coil spring received on the sleeve, said stud, sleeve and spring I tudinally movable in the block, a laterally ex tending head portion on the rear portion of the firing pin and external of the block, and a projection on the actuator engageable with said head portion of the ring pin to retract the firing pin with respect to the block in connection with the block unlocking and opening movement of the actuator.

4. In a gun of the class described, a. reciprocable breech block, a ring pin longitudinally movable in the breech block and having a longitudinal bore, and a ring pin actuating assembly comprising an elongated stud, an elongated sleeve movably surrounding the stud, a coil spring received on the sleeve, said stud, sleeve and spring being receivable in the bore of the firing pin, and a supporting element for the rear end of the stud, said element comprising a main portion movably vseated and guided on a xed portion of the receiver, means normally limiting the movement of said element by engagement with the receiver but disengageable to free said element, and an operating portion for so disengaging said element.

JOSEPH C. WHITE. 

